School catering services

Tender description

The successful tenderer will be required to provide catering services at The Nobel School. Nobel is an oversubscribed secondary school in Stevenage, Hertfordshire which was founded in 1961 and which will become a Foundation School on 5.1.2017. The tender project is seeking to appoint a Contractor whose initiative and innovation will be welcomed for the provision of service within the existing facilities for the 1468 students on roll and 157 teaching and support staff, with a focus on exciting new food concepts to satisfy a wide range of pupil tastes and dietary requirements. The School would wish the successful contractor to review the current range of services offered and make recommendations accordingly. The contract being tendered is for three years in duration from 2017 to 2020 and will operate as a Guaranteed Performance Contract, with the successful Contractor offering the School a guaranteed return / cost per annum for the provision of catering services. Sovereignty of the cash tariff is to remain with the Nobel School for the duration of this contract. The School year is based on a calendar of 195 days. Five days are to be used for staff professional development which means that School will be open to receive students for the legal minimum of 190 days. The contract offered covers the scope for the provision of all catering services within the School, which currently includes morning break, lunch, all hospitality and free issue requirements. Free School meals and hospitality will be charged based on consumption and at net food cost. Whilst the School prioritises value for money as a key objective of the competitive tender process, the Governing body is not obliged to accept the lowest price. The value of the current contract (which runs from August to July) is: 2014 / 15: Cash Sales: 200 477 GBP Free School Meals: 30 892 GBP Hospitality: 20 685 GBP Total: 252 054 GBP 2015 / 16: Cash Sales: 221 154 GBP Free School Meals: 29 110 GBP Hospitality: 13 363 GBP Total: 263 627 GBP The Nobel School expects the successful contractor to enable the continued development of catering through the provision of an innovative, healthy food service, with fresh, seasonal, locally sourced ingredients being prepared on-site. The School expects the successful tenderer to evidence, through their bid, how they shall support and complement its values and support the School to achieve the Healthy Schools award. The School believes that success should be celebrated and that pupils should enjoy their time at school; if lessons are stimulating and challenging then students will love learning. Much time therefore, is spent reviewing and planning schemes of work to ensure that they are differentiated to meet the needs of all students. As a result, the School are very enthusiastic regarding work experience and apprenticeship proposals and would welcome the input of the successful Contractor. As a school who are continually seeking ways to improve and develop the ethos and environment for students and staff, to give them the facilities they deserve and need to meet the challenges of the 21st Century, any consideration regarding inward capital investment as part of the Contractor's tender submission would be welcomed. The School would wish for the Contractor to look at making this investment within the existing dining area or to provide additional dining facilities in other areas of the School. Please be advised that: — this contract will be let on a 3 + 2 years basis. — there are currently 7 staff (4 full time and 3 part time) employed to deliver the catering service. — there are no current catering staff in the LGPS. — the catering service is currently contracted to Edwards & Blake. — the Trust has a minimum requirement for a contractor's employer's liability / public liability and professional indemnity insurance of 5 000 000 GBP any one occurrence.